Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Friday claimed Swiss-Luxembourger and Chinese-Singaporean companies had moved to the second stage from the initial four companies and expressed interests to build Anaklia deep-sea port in Georgia’s north-west. 

Speaking in the state legislature, the official said the country’s authorities were interested in building the port to “promote the domestic economy”, amid the allegations by opposition members that the Government would “once again cheat the public” ahead of the 2024 Parliamentary elections. 

Ana Tsitlidze, from the United National Movement and Giorgi Vashadze from Strategy Agmashenebeli opposition parties told the official the Government had “failed” to construct the post over the past 11 years while in office, with Lelo opposition members claiming the authorities had “deliberately hampered” its construction “on the instructions of the Kremlin”. 

Davitashvili said the budget for the first phase of the planned construction would hit  $589 million, adding that ₾20 million ($7.44mln) had already been added in the 2023 state budget.

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said in the winter the construction of the port would start this year and the Government would hold a 51 percent share in it.